Thinger.io: an open source platform for deploying data fusion applications in IoT environments

In The Last Two Decades, Data And Information Fusion Has Experienced Significantdevelopment Due Mainly To Advances In Sensor Technology. The Sensors Provide A Continuousflow Of Data About The Environment In Which They Are Deployed, Which Is Received And Processed Tobuild A Dynamic Estimation Of The Situation. With Current Technology, It Is Relatively Simple To Deploya Set Of Sensors In A Specific Geographic Area, In Order To Have Highly Sensorized Spaces. However, Tobe Able To Fusion And Process The Information Coming From The Data Sources Of A Highly Sensorizedspace, It Is Necessary To Solve Certain Problems Inherent To This Type Of Technology. The Challengeis Analogous To What We Can Find In The Field Of The Internet Of Things (Iot). Iot Technology Ischaracterized By Providing The Infrastructure Capacity To Capture, Store, And Process A Huge Amountof Heterogeneous Sensor Data (In Most Cases, From Different Manufacturers), In The Same Way That Itoccurs In Data Fusion Applications. This Work Is Not Simple, Mainly Due To The Fact That There Is Nostandardization Of The Technologies Involved (Especially Within The Communication Protocols Usedby The Connectable Sensors). The Solutions That We Can Find Today Are Proprietary Solutions Thatimply An Important Dependence And A High Cost. The Aim Of This Paper Is To Present A New Opensource Platform With Capabilities For The Collection, Management And Analysis Of A Huge Amount Ofheterogeneous Sensor Data. In Addition, This Platform Allows The Use Of Hardware-Agnostic In A Highlyscalable And Cost-Effective Manner. This Platform Is Called Thinger.Io. One Of The Main Characteristicsof Thinger.Io Is The Ability To Model Sensorized Environments Through A High Level Language Thatallows A Simple And Easy Implementation Of Data Fusion Applications, As We Will Show In This Paper.This work was funded by public research projects of Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (MINECO), references TEC2017-88048-C2-2-R, TEC2014-57022-C2-2-RRTC-2016-5595-2, RTC-2016-5191-8 and RTC-2016-5059-8

Information fusion as input source for improving multi-agent system autonomous decision-making in maritime surveillance scenarios

Decision making problems are usually referred as a cognitive process resulting in the selection of an action among several alternatives. Autonomous entities taking these actions like multi-agent systems, needs to process and understand its environment state to frequently update its beliefs, and then, select an optimal action. As an environment can be composed by several sources of information, it is useful for a multi-agent system, a way to process integrated information of multiple data which represents the same real-world object. This information can improve the agents knowledge and let select better actions than processing simple raw data. Most information fusion research has had a technical and algorithmic focus, and takes little attention to high level decision making, although some studies relate fusion to human decision making. However, in this paper is proposed the use of fused information as an input source for supporting and improving the decision making capabilities of autonomous agents in maritime surveillance scenarios.This work was supported in part by Projects MINECO TEC2012-37832-C02-01, CICYT TEC2011-28626-C02-02, CAM CONTEXTS (S2009/TIC-1485

Mezcal artesanal en Puebla: actores y saberes locales.

The objective of this study was to explain the local understanding and knowledge of mezcal producers. The methodology was qualitative: in-depth interviews and participatory observation were used, which allowed a holistic view of the dynamics of mezcal production as well as approaching ancestral stakeholders and knowledge. Data collection from a sample of 42 production units and eight communities was conducted using the snowball method. The producers are 51 years old on average, 70% of them with education of 9 years or less, and they keep a strategy of multiple activities to generate their income: 63% sell mezcal and combine farming and non-farming activities (37%). Mezcal elaboration (artisanal and ancestral) has five processes: agave harvesting, cooking, fermentation, distillation and bottling. The workforce is mainly family members. The activity is carried out by fourth generation producers, 74% of them belong to an organization, and 88% participate in two or more stages of the agave-mezcal chain, where local understanding and knowledge are an essential part of the subsistence and permanence strategies of the households in the territory studied. Support policies, which have been scarce until now, are necessary to strengthen the permanence of mezcal elaboration as generator of social welfare, as well as conservation of the genetic resource, agronomic research, commercial training, and service provision to the communities.El objetivo de esta investigación, fue explicar el conocimiento y saber local de los productores de mezcal. La metodología fue cualitativa; se utilizaron la entrevista en profundidad y la observación participativa, que permitieron una visión holística de la dinámica de la producción de mezcal y el acercamiento a los actores y saberes ancestrales. La recolección de datos de una muestra de 42 unidades de producción y ocho comunida­des, se realizó usando el método de bola de nieve. Los productores tienen edad promedio de 51 años, 70% de ellos, con escolaridad de 9 años o menos y mantienen una estrategia de pluriactividad para generar sus ingre­sos: 63% venta de mezcal y combinan actividades agropecuarias y no agropecuarias (37%). La elaboración de mezcal (artesanal y ancestral) tiene cinco procesos: el acopio de agave, horneado, fermentación, destilación y envasado. La mano de obra, es principalmente familiar. La actividad, la realizan productores de cuarta gene­ración, 74% de ellos, pertenecen a alguna organización y 88%, participan en dos o más etapas de la cadena Agave-mezcal; en donde el conocimiento y saber local, son parte esencial de las estrategias de subsistencia y permanencia de los hogares en el territorio estudiado. Para afianzar la permanencia de la elaboración de mezcal como generadora de bienestar social, son necesarias políticas de apoyo, hasta ahora escasas, la conservación del recurso genético, investigación agronómica, capacitación comercial y dotación de servicios a las comunidades

ContextCare: Autonomous Video Surveillance System Using Multi-camera and Smartphones

Proceedings of: 1st International Symposium on Management Intelligent Systems (IS-MiS 2012), Salamanca, July 11 -13, 2012.In the future, Ambient Intelligence (AmI) technology could assist people autonomously and interpret their intentions. Current technology can already be used to recognize the presence of a person in a private or public space and trigger an automatic response or reaction depending on the user activity. This work describes ContextCare, an extension for an video surveillance system in a health care scenarios based on activity recognition using sensor smartphones. Both systems are coordinated using ECA parading.This work was supported in part by Projects CICYT TIN2011-28620-C02-01, CICYT TEC2011-28626-C02-02, CAM CONTEXTS (S2009/TIC-1485) and DPS2008-07029-C02-02Publicad

Geographic context configuration in fusion algorithms for maritime surveillance

Proceedings of: 17th International Conference on Information Fusion (FUSION 2014): Salamanca, Spain 7-10 July 2014.Real fusion system applications can be required to operate on wide areas for long periods of time. Adaptation is a basic capability under these circumstances. This paper presents a maritime surveillance platform designed to be flexible and robust. It features online configuration capabilities allowing to: (a) change the applied algorithms, (b) modify the operating parameters of the running algorithms, (c) tune the characterization of the available sensors. These configurations can be applied to limited spatial regions and time spans. This allows to use powerful or more specific configurations for localized scenarios (risks, clutter, alarms), or account for exceptional situations that can affect sensors, such as weather anomalies.This work was funded by contract between DEIMOS SPACE, S.L.U. and Universidad Carlos III, by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under grants TEC2012- 37832-C02-01, TEC2011-28626-C02-02, and by Madrid Region Gov., grant CAM CONTEXTS (S2009/TIC-1485).Publicad

Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with α1-antitrypsin deficiency genotypes PI*ZZ and PI*SZ in the Spanish registry of EARCO

Background: The Spanish registry of α1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) integrated in the European Alpha-1 Research Collaboration (EARCO) provides information about the characteristics of patients, in particular those with the PI*SZ genotype, which is frequent in Spain. Method: Individuals with severe AATD defined as proteinase inhibitor (PI) genotypes PI*ZZ, PI*SZ and other rare deficient variants were included from February 1, 2020, to February 1, 2022. The analysis focused on a comparison of the characteristics of PI*ZZ and PI*SZ patients. Results: 409 patients were included (53.8% men) with a mean±sd age of 53.5±15.9 years. Genotypes were PI*ZZ in 181 (44.7%), PI*SZ in 163 (40.2%), PI*SS in 29 (7.2%) and other in 32 (7.9%). 271 (67.4%) had lung disease: 175 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (43.5%), 163 emphysema (40.5%) and 83 bronchiectasis (20.6%). Patients with the PI*SZ genotype were younger, more frequently non-index cases and had a lower frequency of respiratory diseases except asthma compared with PI*ZZ patients. Among patients with respiratory diseases, PI*SZ individuals were significantly older both at onset of symptoms and at diagnosis; only asthma was more frequent in PI*SZ than in PI*ZZ individuals. Twelve PI*SZ patients (15.4%) received augmentation therapy compared with 94 PI*ZZ patients (66.2%; p<0.001). Conclusions: There is a high prevalence of PI*SZ in Spain. Patients with the PI*SZ genotype were older at symptom onset and diagnosis and had less severe lung disease compared with PI*ZZ patients. The prevalence of asthma was higher in PI*SZ, and up to 15% of PI*SZ patients received augmentation therapy.Acknowledgements: The Spanish registry would like to acknowledge the support of the EARCO Steering committee: Christian Clarenbach and Marc Miravitlles (co-chairs), Robert Bals, Jan Stolk, Joanna Chorostowska-Wynimko, Karen O’Hara, Marion Wilkens, José Luis López-Campos, Alice M. Turner, Ilaria Ferrarotti, Gerry McElvaney and Robert A. Stockley

Dinámica del pastoreo en la asociación cultivos y ovinos de agroecosistemas de clima templado en México

The study analyzed the dynamics of grazing in sheep production associated with agricultural crops based on the social, productive, market, income, and environmental dimensions in the temperate region of Puebla and Tlaxcala, Mexico. The use of grazing, topography, climate, crops and type of vegetation in the production systems and data on the family, means of production, market and income were recorded with interviews applied to 256 sheep producers. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and response surface linear regression models and multilevel models, with the SAS statistical package. Five crop and sheep associations were defined as results. The response surface linear regression models, fitted for grazing percentage, had differences in the slopes estimated (P<0.05) for producer experience, schooling, days of work spent on sheep, value of facilities and flock size. The multilevel analysis showed that 19 % of the variance in grazing time (hours) was explained by the variables of crop and sheep associations (level 2) and the rest by production units (level 1). Multilevel models associated grazing time with income (P<0.01), percentage of lamb sales (P<0.01), schooling (P<0.05), days of work spent on sheep (P<0.05), flock size P<0.05) and grazing percentage (P<0.001). The study allowed the classification of agroecosystems and the identification of the most appropriate profile of producer for sheep production in the socioecological and economic context in the temperate region of Puebla and Tlaxcala, Mexico.En el presente estudio se analizó la dinámica del pastoreo en la producción de ovinos asociada a los cultivos agrícolas a partir de la dimensión social, productiva, mercado, ingresos y ambiental en la región templada de Puebla y Tlaxcala, México. Se registró el uso del pastoreo, relieve, clima, cultivos y tipo de vegetación en los sistemas de producción y datos de la familia, medios de producción, mercado e ingresos con entrevista a 256 productores de ovinos. Los datos se analizaron con estadística descriptiva y modelos de regresión lineal de superficie de respuesta y modelos multinivel, con el paquete estadístico SAS. Como resultados se definieron cinco asociaciones cultivos y ovinos. Los modelos de regresión lineal de superficie de respuesta, ajustada por porcentaje de pastoreo, tuvieron diferencias en las pendientes estimadas (P<0.05) para experiencia del productor, escolaridad, jornales dedicados a ovinos, valor de instalaciones y tamaño de rebaño. El análisis multinivel mostró que 19 % de la varianza en el tiempo de pastoreo (horas) fue explicada por las variables de las asociaciones cultivos y ovinos (nivel 2) y el resto por las unidades de producción (nivel 1). Los modelos multinivel asociaron el tiempo de pastoreo con los ingresos (P<0.01), porcentaje de venta de corderos (P<0.01), escolaridad (P<0.05), jornales dedicados a ovinos (P<0.05), tamaño de rebaño P<0.05) y porcentaje de pastoreo (P<0.001). El estudio permitió clasificar a los agroecosistemas e identificar el perfil del productor más apropiado para la producción de ovinos en el contexto socioecológico y económico en la región templada de Puebla y Tlaxcala, México

Comorbidity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with personality disorders in homeless people.

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that begins in childhood but can continue into adulthood, and may be the cause of many disadaptive behaviors, as in the case of homeless people, who often display a high incidence of personality disorders. The goal of this study is to analyze the comorbidity of ADHD with axis II disorders in a Spanish homeless population. Results: The outcomes show high comorbidity between these two kinds of disorders, and that the prevalence of axis II disorders is higher among people with ADHD than among the general population. Conclusions: From these results we can draw the conclusion that in homeless people ADHD in childhood continues into adulthood, when it is very often observed together with personality disorders. Finally, the implications of this study both for clinical practice and for future lines of research are discussed

Los paisajes agrarios de la romanización en el Suroeste peninsular: balance de los últimos trabajos desarrollados desde el Instituto de Arqueología

Trabajo presentado al VI Encuentro de Arqueología del Suroeste Peninsular, celebrado en Villafranca de los Barros (Badajoz) del 4 al 6 de octubre de 2012.[ES]: El propósito de este trabajo es ofrecer una visión de síntesis sobre la labor que ha supuesto en los últimos años desde el Instituto de Arqueología la investigación sobre el fenómeno de los recintos ciclópeos de La Serena (Badajoz) y el impacto de la conquista romana en las formas de ordenación de los espacios agrarios del Suroeste peninsular. Se realiza una breve revisión de las claves de este problema histórico y de los antecedentes del trabajo presente. A continuación se exponen las diferentes líneas metodológicas desarrolladas, ofreciendo una síntesis de los conocimientos obtenidos. Finalmente se proponen algunos temas prioritarios para el desarrollo futuro de la investigación.[EN]: The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the recent activity in the Merida Institute of Archaeology regarding the study of the so called “cyclopean enclosures” of the Serena Region (Badajoz) and the impact of the Roman conquest in the agrarian landscapes of the Peninsular South-West. We make a brief review of some clues of this historical process and provide some background to understand more recent research. We will show the methodological threads we have developed, and a concise account of their main results. Finally, we suggest some key issues for future research.Los resultados mostrados en este trabajo han sido posibles gracias al soporte del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación a través de los proyectos del Plan Nacional “Paisaje, territorio y cambio social en el suroeste peninsular: De la protohistoria al mundo romano (HAR 20081973)” cuyo investigador responsable es Victorino Mayoral Herrera, y “Entre el Atlántico y el Mediterráneo: contraste de dinámicas en la evolución histórica del paisaje en el occidente peninsular a través de la Arqueología” (HAR 2009-10666) cuyo investigador responsable es Sebastián Celestino Pérez.Peer Reviewe

Evaluación actual y propuestas para el desarrollo urbano en México

La revista Problemas del Desarrollo recoge en su colección de ediciones especiales las disertaciones y ponencias que se presentan en los seminarios, simposia y conferencias a que convoca y realiza anualmente el Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. El propósito es contribuir a la mayor difusión de textos de contenido analítico, descriptivo y propositivo que se presentan en tales actos y que tienen gran valor para el mejor conocimiento y comprensión de la estructura y problemática económica y social de nuestro país. Pero también la revista quiere convertirse en foro abierto para la expresión de comentarios y ampliaciones que deseen hacer los lectores de estas ediciones especiales sobre temas particulares de los comprendidos en cada uno de sus libros. Estos aportes, por lo tanto, serán muy bien recibidos. Para ello, solo se requiere que los lectores los remitan, por escrito, al Instituto de Investigaciones Económicas, Torre II de Humanidades, Ciudad Universitaria